Apprenticeship as a precision optician
An apprenticeship with a clear view<<, Maria, precision optician at asphericon
How did you like your apprenticeship?
My job is incredibly varied and the internships at the company in particular give me a very good insight into the professional world of precision optics. And it’s also exciting, because some of our optics leave the earth – we manufacture products for aerospace and satellite technology here. I also like the mix of theory and practice, because my vocational training is divided into a theoretical part at the vocational school and a practical part at the Jena training centre or at my training company.
Do you need a special talent for your apprenticeship?
Because you work a lot on machines, technical understanding is a good prerequisite. You should also have a lot of patience and a steady hand for learning optics processing, as we work here with micrometre precision, i.e. a hundredth of the width of a human hair. After all, patience is not only important for the job, but also in my private life, as well as enjoying teamwork and communicating properly with my fellow human beings.
How was your start to the apprenticeship?
At the beginning there was an introductory week at the training centre. We were also able to get to know other trainees such as industrial mechanics or mechatronics engineers. We were introduced to the trainers and the general vocational training programme. We were told how to work safely with machines and what rights an apprentice has. Together with the training manager, we went on a tour of the vocational training centre, where we were able to get to know all the production areas. Of course, we also spent a day at asphericon and were introduced to the team of trainers and our colleagues.
What will your tasks be after you join the company?
First of all, I’m delighted to have been taken on permanently straight away. Thanks to the varied apprenticeship, I am very flexible and can be deployed in different ways according to my wishes. In CNC production, I’m responsible for setting up and operating the machines, monitoring the production process and measuring the optics. In quality control, the optical components are checked for deviations and defects. In work preparation, I control the application of the optical components to the carrier bodies and the painting of the optical surfaces.
Facts and figures about training as a precision optician
- Duration of the apprenticeship: 3.5 years
- Prerequisites: Secondary school leaving certificate
- Apprenticeship salary: between €900 and €1100